Lost Child
by Aerolysia
Summary: Usagi and Mamoru have split. Just as she is feeling most vulnerable a toddler arrives in her home with a penchant for calling her "momma" and a happy disposition that can't help but cheer up the teen. But is the child a ploy from her enemies or is she really just an innocent girl in need of protection?


Usagi was on the roof gazing up at the Moon. She was silently praying for guidance, patience and understanding. Mamoru had left her when she felt she needed him the most, he was pushing her away on vague reasons she couldn't bring herself to believe. Surely he hadn't stopped loving her. Not a love like theirs. A love that knew no boundaries, that defied death and the separation of eons…..surely that couldn't all be thrown aside like yesterday's garbage. She couldn't throw her love for him away any easier than she could have cut out her heart.

But….it seemed so easy for him, and she didn't understand why. She didn't doubt his love for her before, not as Serenity and not even a few months ago. But obviously something had changed and she didn't know what.

She shook her head slightly annoyed at the way her blonde locks tangled in their loose style. She should have at least braided it. Lately though they were times when she barely felt like pulling it up in her signature style. She couldn't find the peace the mundane action had once given her, nor could she find the warmth of it reminding her of her home and mother long gone from the surface of the moon.

She pulled her hair into her hand and watched as the strands flittered from gold to silver underneath the full moon's light. She sighed heavily. She didn't much feel like a princess right now. She wanted her mother. She wanted to be able to speak to her about everything going on in her life, boys, friends…enemies.

She knew her mother was sleeping soundly under the roof she was perched on. Knew her only worry for Usagi was that she didn't take her studies seriously. Sometimes, mostly out of fits of anger and childishness, she wanted to tell her mother who she was. Wanted to shout at her that she didn't only have school to worry about. Tell her that she had been a princess, was still a princess, and that she protected Earth because they hadn't been able to protect her own home and she couldn't stand to see another race of people fall to the darkness that seemed to always plague the light.

She knew she would never say those things. At least not in anger. There was no good reason to worry her family like that and so long as her identity stayed a secret they would be safe.

She pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. Her gaze drifted back up to the moon.

She wished she could have her mother, Queen Serenity, even for just a few days….even a few hours with her. The real corporeal form and not the consciousness that had been left behind after her demise. She had memories and emotions to go with those for the woman but she had forgotten what it felt like to be held by her mother. To be tucked in her arms and held safe.

Her ears pricked up as the sound of paws clacked towards her on the roof shingles. Luna appeared at her side only a second later, her gaze full of concern. "Is everything alright, Usagi?"

There was no condemnation in her tone or her words. Still Usagi knew her guardian and the Senshi were growing tired of her moping about. They had practically told her so in the last meeting. They understood her pain, her heartbreak, or at least they thought they did. But they were also sure her work as a Senshi had been suffering because of her distractions. It was time she get her act together. After all Venus may lead them but ultimately it was Usagi who commanded the Senshi. Their loyalties were to her and her alone. She couldn't expect them to not call her out when she wasn't leading them properly. When she wasn't also keeping their safety in mind because she was too busy hoping for Tuxedo Mask to swoop in and save them.

"Usagi?"

The blonde glanced down at her guardian and back up at the moon before she climbed as gracefully as possible to her feet. "I'm alright Luna. I just wanted a moment to…reflect." Thankfully Luna didn't press. Usagi didn't want her to know about her childish wish for a mother who couldn't be there. And she didn't want to see any more pity or exasperation in Luna's eyes either. "Lets go back in."

Luna followed her quietly. She was worried. She knew Mamoru leaving affected Usagi greatly but she didn't like the spiral the girl seemed to be descending down. She wanted to do something, she wanted to help but she didn't know how. She was seriously worried for Usagi's safety and state of mind. It wasn't lost on her that Serenity chose to take her own life rather than live in a world without Endymion.

~SM~

Usagi woke early despite going to bed late. Her dreams were chaotic and she couldn't remember them clearly. She knew she wouldn't be able to fall back asleep though and there was really no need to try as she could already hear her mother downstairs in the kitchen fixing breakfast. She considered it might be nice to actually enjoy a breakfast with her family for once instead of rushing out of the house with toast in her mouth.

Luna stirred as her charge climbed out of the bed. "Usagi?" She whispered sleepily. She was surprised, she couldn't remember the girl ever getting up so early on her own.

Usagi scratched behind her ears affectionately. "I just couldn't sleep Luna. I'm alright, I just want to eat breakfast with my mom today." Luna watched her leave with her uniform with worried eyes. She needed to consult Venus about the depression Usagi was feeling. They needed to make sure she didn't become a liability to herself or them.

Usagi climbed down the stairs towel drying her hair. She wasn't sure if she was going to put it up today or not. Honestly she didn't feel like it.

"Morning Mom." Her mother turned away from the stove in surprise.

"Usagi!? You're up early."

The blonde nodded. "I couldn't seem to sleep."

Her dark haired mother frowned thoughtfully. "Not getting sick are you?" Usagi shook her head and moved to sit down at the table.

Her blue eyes landed on something odd beside her mother's chair and hung there for a moment. "Uh…Mom…." Her mother had turned back around to the eggs on the stove but she hummed to signal she was listening. "Why is there a high chair at the table?"

Ikuko frowned and left the stove to feel her daughter's forehead. "Are you sure you are alright? I know I told you my cousin's daughter was staying with us for a while. Her mother and father seemed to have gotten into a bit of trouble and I was asked to take her in until they sort it out. I told you." She told her.

Usagi knew she wouldn't have missed something like that. Sure sometimes she didn't listen but surely she would have remembered her mother telling her a baby was coming to stay with them. And she couldn't remember her mother ever talking about a cousin or any kind of trouble.

She didn't argue though, there wasn't a reason too. She had a funny feeling in the pit of her stomach about it but she couldn't think of any reason why having a distant relative staying with them would make her feel that way.

Ikuko watched the confusion on her daughter's face and sighed. "Well at least your awake for breakfast for once." She went back to the stove. "Can you go into the spare room and get little Rennie up for breakfast?"

Blue eyes widened in shock. "RINI? You means she's already here?"

"Yes, last night…." Her mother frowned. "Sometime last night…I can't really remember when exactly….anyways she's a sleep now but I'll appreciate it if you could get her up and dressed. Her clothes are in the little dresser."

Usagi left the table in a daze and made her way up to what had once been their spare bedroom. She pushed the door open softly and gasped at the newly transformed room. She knew…absolutely knew her mother had not had time to do this. Something else was at work. She might have been a ditz but there was no way she would miss her mom completely redecorating a bed room into a nursery.

She made her way over to the toddler bed that was nestled next to the window and peered down at the sleeping child nestled contently amongst the pink sheets.

Usagi had to admit she was cute. She had long pink hair and pale skin. And her little finger was in her mouth as she slept. She looked like an angel.

She leaned down and gently shook the child. "Rini. It's time to get up." She felt strange in the girls presence. Like there was a connection between them and for a fleeting moment she was sure it was a trap set by her enemies. But then the little girl opened her eyes, brilliant red orbs stared up at her and all of Usagi's trepidation fell away.

"Momma?" Her breath caught at the child's small question. She didn't know how to respond. She didn't know where the girls mother was or what had happened, her own mother had been unhelpfully vague on that information.

She leaned over and picked up the girl, grimacing when a wet finger reached up and tangled in her loose hair. "I'm sorry, little one, I don't know where your momma is." Red eyes peered up at her in confusion.

Rini reached out and touched Usagi's chest. "Momma." She stated firmly. Usagi shook her head but her mother's voice calling up to her stopped any protest or refute she could have come up with.

"Ah, whatever. For now let's get you dressed so momma doesn't yell at me." She put the girl down in front of the wide oak dresser and opened all the drawers until she found an outfit the toddler seemed to agree on. It was a pink top and a pair of blue jean shorts. Usagi was grateful the weather was warm because the child seemed to know exactly what she did not want to wear and she didn't fancy trying to get her to change her mind.

Once that was done she picked the little girl back up and carried her down the stairs. Rini rested her head against Usagi's shoulder and put her finger back in her mouth.

"Oh look at her." Ikuko beamed when the two came into view. Rini leaned away from the teen and gave Ikuko a toothfull smile.

"I'm pwetty!" She announced with a laugh. "Momma pwetty too." She beamed back at Usagi.

She glanced toward her mother and shrugged. "Do I look like…our cousin." Her mother frowned thoughtfully and shook her head.

"I don't really know. I can't remember…" Usagi watched in concern as her mother rubbed at her temples. It didn't take much more to convince the Princess that something wasn't quiet right. She placed Rini in the highchair despite the toddlers protests and made excuses to her mother.

"Ill be right back. Just going to check and make sure my homework is put up." She called back as she passed her startled brother on the stairs. She paused just long enough to hear him cooing to the fussing Rini, it was obvious Shingo wasn't surprised to see the toddler at the breakfast table.

She pushed back into her room and woke Luna up hastily. The black cat jumped up hissing and the sudden disturbance and glared at the blonde when she realized it was just her. "Really Usagi…."

The blonde Senshi cut her off. "There is a toddler in my kitchen calling me momma and I know the story my mom is telling me about her is false. The entire spare bedroom has been changed into a nursery." Usagi wasn't sure but she thought Luna might have been frowning.

"A toddler?" Luna asked hesitantly. Usagi nodded and let out a relieved breath. She didn't know what she would have done if Luna had known about the little girl. Now she knew she couldn't have been imagining things. Luna was always attentive. She wouldn't have missed something so big as a new arrival to the Tsukino household. "I don't like the sound of that….it could be a trap."

"It…could…but I don't think so. I feel….strange around her Luna. Protective almost." Now she was sure Luna was frowning. "Luna I'm serious. I don't think she is a threat but I think there may be a threat to her."

"And she called you Momma." Usagi nodded. Honestly she wasn't so worried about that detail. She could just look like the child's mom. And she was sure little kids called random people mom all the time. It wasn't like they knew too many words after all. "Ill keep an eye on her today while your at school." Luna said. "Tonight you should bring her to the shrine and have Ami run tests on her. We should know if there is anything to worry about. Children don't just show up into Senshi households under mysterious circumstances." Usagi nodded. She honestly didn't like the suspicious way Luna was talking about the little girl but she distinctly remembered being just as suspicious herself only moments before seeing her. She felt it would be wise to trust her guardian when it seemed her own feelings might have been manipulated somehow.

"I'll send them a message." Her mother called back up to her and she glanced at her clock. She grimaced. She had only fifteen minutes to enjoy breakfast before she would need to be rushing out the door else she would be late. "Of course crazy things would happen the one morning I didn't have to rush everywhere." She sighed heavily and ran back out of her room with her bag. She hadn't bothered to pull up her hair and decided it was going to stay loose today, she didn't feel like taking the time to put it up, and she wanted to spend the remainder of her time enjoying breakfast despite the new addition to the table.

"Momma!" Rini beamed up at her when the blonde found her way back to the table. Usagi couldn't help the chuckle that left her at the sight.

The child had eggs all in her hair and sticky syrup on her face. Still she smiled wide and offered Usagi a bit of egg that hadn't gotten stuck in her hair. Surprisingly the blonde leaned in and took the offered bite.

Ikuko watched in fascination. "She sure took to you didn't she?"

"Seems so." Usagi commented offhandedly. She took her spot and was pleased she didn't have to scarf the food down for once. She couldn't help her short attention span though. Her mother tried to carry on a conversation but Usagi's eyes kept flickering back to the little girl enjoying her breakfast without a care.

"Momma look!" The child put her spoon on her nose and laughed as it stuck there for a split second before clattering back to the highchair top. Ikuko laughed and stared at her daughter.

"It seems you have been adopted Usagi. That's a big responsibility, "She teased good-naturedly. Usagi smiled lightly but it was fake. She felt Luna rub against her leg and glanced down at the concerned cat. Little Rini followed her gaze and clapped her hands in excitement.

"Una! Una!" Both Usagi and Luna stared at the girl in shock. "Una talk, Momma." She smiled at Usagi and clapped her hands again.

Ikuko laughed at her antics and glanced at the clock before back to her two children. "Off you two go if you want to get to school on time." Shingo ruffled Rini's hair and rushed out the door. Usagi dropped a kiss on tiny upturned lips and smacked dramatically. Despite her reservations the affection felt natural and she genuinely liked the toddler. She grabbed her bag, shot a meaningful look towards her cat and started for the door before her mother's voice stopped her. "Usagi I need you to look after this little one for me after school so come straight home okay."

The blonde turned back. "I was going to meet my friends," She said, thinking fast on her feet and hoping she wasn't going to have to sneak out with the toddler. "Is it okay if I just take her along. We were going to Rei's so we will be able to keep an eye on her." It took a moment but her mother nodded reluctantly as she was helping Rini from her highchair and wiping the egg out of her hair.

"Bye, bye Momma!" Rini waved at her y opening and closing her fingers. Usagi smiled a little and repeated the gesture before rushing out the door. She desperately hoped her day wasn't going to be as crazy as her morning had been.

 **A/N: I should be working on my other unfinished works but this mother/daughter relationship had become my guilty pleasure. Also I know there is a lot of different names for people because of the English and Japanese versions differ a bit there, I'm going to use what I want and hope it works. If it bothers you that Chibiusa is Rini instead I'm very sorry but I don't really like having her named after Usagi.**


End file.
